Eligible California residents are being invited to join a study on the effectiveness of cannabinoids in treating chronic pain associated with several conditions.
The 12-week study, a collaboration between University of Michigan and commercial entities MoreBetter (Releaf App), LEVEL and Overcome, is looking specifically at managing pain associated with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and overall quality of life
Three cannabinoid products will be used in the study, all of which will be in capsule or tablet form. Each contains different ratios and formulations of THC, CBD and minor cannabinoids. None of the products are THC-dominant; THC being the cannabinoid that produces intoxicating effects.
There’s an interesting twist in this study – participants will need to pay to participate; although a very small amount. The reason given:
“Due to California state law we are not legally allowed to provide products for free to anyone,” states the study qualifier page. “We tried to find a way around this law, but unfortunately there is not one that doesn’t legally jeopardize our sponsors, Principal Investigator, and us. That said, participants will have to pay only $15 to join the study. In exchange you are getting a 12-week supply of product, equivalent to over $600 of product.”
Participants accepted into the study will be asked to complete brief daily surveys on their product experiences, pain, and sleep quality, along with other surveys when starting the program and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks. These surveys will cover product use, pain symptoms, clinical state, conventional medication use, and quality of life.
“Your answers (which will lead to study results) will help us discover if plant medicine (cannabis) may be an effective way to provide relief to those living with chronic pain conditions that manage similar symptoms as you.”
Those who are accepted into the study can change their mind and stop at any time.
The principal investigator for the study is University of Michigan’s Daniel J. Kruger, Ph.D. Commenting on the study, Dr. Kruger said:
“This cross-sector partnership is critical for overcoming regulatory barriers to cannabis research and enhancing trust by including independent academic researchers.”
